Cooking utensil



Nov. 18, 1952 F. HUMMEL 2,618,219

COOKING UTENSII..

Filed Dec. 8. 1947 Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED sTATs gr OFFICE 6 Claims. 1

This invention pertains to cooking utensils and has to do more especially with a utensil for poaching eggs, but which, however, is adaptable to other useful purposes.

My immediate object is to provide an egg-poaching utensil of relatively small over-all dimensions which, accordingly, requires only a small amount of storage space, and which is provided with automatic timing means by virtue of which the eggsvare invariably poached to precisely the intended degree, irrespective of whether the cooking water is boiling hot, lukewarm or cold when the operation is started.

yA further object is to provide a reliable, wellconstructed utensil of the above indicated character which can be produced cheaply enough to be readily saleable to people of average meansit being fully realized that a utensil of the specialized character here dealt with will not find many buyers aside from public eating places unless the price is low enough to offset the fact that the utensil is a convenience in the nature of alu'xury rather than a necessity.

One. of the novel and significant features o my present invention is that it utilizes a hot water fountain similar to that of an ordinary coffee percolator to produce a stream or shower of hot water which is caused to cascade downwardly upon and flow over the eggs being poached-wherefore the eggs are not immersed in a cumulus of hot water and for that reason are not subjected to poaching temperature after the hot water ceases to ow over them.

Another feature residesin the provision of a valve or diverter means which causes the stream of hot water to be directed into contact with the eggs during the prescribed cooking period, and which automatically diverts the hot water away from the eggs uponexpiration of the cooking period.

Still another feature consists in the provision of thermostatic means which automatically blocks the timing mechanism and thus prevents starting thereof until water of a predetermined temperature commences flowing over the eggs-thus ensuring that the eggs will be poached to a definite uniform degree for each given time period.

An additional feature consists in the provision of a spring-driven timing mechanism whereby the timing of the eggs can accurately be fixed in advance by winding the driving spring to an extent corresponding to the desired poaching time-this being effected, preferably, by means of a manually operable winding lever which may beand preferably is associated with a suitably calibrated scale whereby the operator of the utensil can readily ascertain the extent to which the lever must be moved for any specic timing period within the range of the mechanism.

Other objects, features and advantagesof my invention will become apparent as the ensuing detailed description progresses.

An egg-poaching utensil incorporating the novel features of my invention is illustratedv in the drawing which accompanies this specification; but this showing is only by way of example and not by way of limitation, and it is to` be understood that the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and is not to be regarded as more limited in scope than is indicated by the terms of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the utensil, being taken at line I-I of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a detail View illustrating the action of the timing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the utensil taken approximately at line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section at line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The utensil illustrated comprises a sheet metal receptacle Il) of cylindrical form adapted to be filled with water up to about the level indicated at II. A handle I2, attached to receptacle I l, may be provided for convenient handling, or the utensil may, alternatively, be equipped with a Wire bail.

rhe upper end of receptacle I0 is closed by a removable sheet metal cover I3 having a depending peripheral skirt which lits the receptacle snugly, but not so tightly as to render removal diiiicult.

Attached to the under side of cover I3 and depending therefrom toward the bottom of the receptacle is a tubular member I4 to the lower end of which is secured a sheet metal dome I5, the peripheral edge of which is spaced slightly above the bottom of the receptacle so as to permit water to penetrate into the space I6 beneath the dome.

.Disposedvconcentrically with the tubular member Irl and secured to dome I5 is a tubular riser or conduit il, the lower end of which extends downwardly from the top of the dome to a point just above the bottom of receptacle IG'. The upper end of riser I1 terminates at Ila and it is cut away at Ilb, as shown in Fig. 4, to form a discharge port as hereinafter explained. Y

Telescopically engaging the upper end portion of riser I1 and movable vertically relatively thereto is a tubular cap I8 which functions as a valve or diverter and has a lateral opening I8a. The

cap or valve I8 is shown in its up position wherein the opening I8a is situated above the discharge port I'Ia; but said cap is adapted to move downwardly to a position wherein the opening I8a registers with the discharge port I'Ia.

An upwardly projecting valve stem I9 is attached to the valve or cap I8 and extends through an opening in the cover I3; and a compression spring 20 encircling said valve stem is arranged to press vdownwardly on the valve or cap I8, thus tending to move the opening Ia into alignment with port I'IoL.V

The tubular member I is pierced and embossed to form four sockets, spaced in quadrature around said member and at different levels, which sockets are each adapted to receive the free end of a hook 2I-each Aof which hooks is Welded to a cup-like tray 22. Said trays are detachable from tubular member I4 and each is proportioned to hold one egg prepared for poaching; thatr is to say, from which the shell has been removed.

Attached to the upper end of tubular member I4 is a channel-like chute or spout 23 which slopes downwardly toward the uppermost one of the four trays 22; and the upper end of said spout is so disposed as to be in registration with the opening |811 when the cap I8 is in its up position as shown in Fig. 3.

When heat is applied to the bottom of the refceptacle,` pressure is built up within the space' I3 beneath the dome I5 in excess of the pressure. above the water level within receptacle I0, and as av result hot water is forced upwardly through riser I'I. If the. cap I8 is in its up position the hot water thus forced upwardly through the riser will discharge through opening Ia onto spout 23 and will flow downwardly through said spout onto the egg in the uppermost tray 22; and the overflow from the top tray will cascade downwardly onto the next lower tray and thence to the third and fourth trays in succession. The eggs are poached by the stream of hot water flowing over them, `and the overflow from the bottom tray returns to the cumulus in the bottom of receptacle I0 from which, after reheating, it again passes upwardly through riser II tov repeat the cycle.

On the other hand, when valve I8 is in its down position the opening Ia is in registration with discharge port I1b, and the water moving upwardly through riser II, if any, is discharged below spout 23 into the annular space 24 through which it returns by-gravity, via apertures 25, to the bottom of receptacle I0.

The main objective is to ow a stream of hot water over the eggs for a prescribed period of time and to shut 01T the flow of hot water more or less abruptly at the end of the prescribed cooking period. BY S0 doing it can be made certain that the eggs will invariably be poached to the desired consistency.

Pursuant to the foregoing objective, the cap or valve I8 is arranged to be lifted to its up position, as shown in Fig. 3, prior to the commencement of each cooking period and concurrently with the winding up of a spring-driven timing mechanism 26, so that the hot water, when it starts nowng, will pass through spout 23 and onto the eggs in the tray.

The timing mechanism 26 is a clockwork device comprising a spiral driving spring together with a train of gears and an escapement-all of more or less conventional construction such as found in ordinary alarm clocks-and does-not need to be described in minute detail. Said mechanism is mounted on the cover I3 and enclosed within a sheet metal housing 21 which is removably'attached to said cover.

The driving spring of the timing mechanism is anchored at its inner end to a shaft 28, see Fig. 1, to the lower end of which is secured a lever 29 serving as a medium for manually winding the spring. The long arm of said lever extends outwardly through a slot 30 along the bottom edge of housing 27, which slot is long enough to permit the lever to turn through a considerable angle.

A bellcrank 3| pivoted at 32 comprises a rst arm 3Ia and a second arm 3l b, which latter is bifurcated at its distal end to embrace valve stem I9 at a point below a flange or washer 33 which is secured to said valve stem. The bifurcated end `of arm 3Ia is bent to form a sloping cam surface 3Ic and terminates in a short horizontal portion 3 Id at the extreme end of the arm which portion lies in a plane parallel to the main part of arm 3Ib and constitutes a bearing surface on which the flange or washer 33 rests when the bellcrank is in the position in which it is shown. It will be observed that the bellcrank is shown functioning to hold the valve I8 in its up posi,- tion against the pressure of spring 20.

Bellcrank 3l is capable of rotating counterclockwise from the posture in which it is shown in Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, and when it is so rotated it allowsthe washer 33 to slide downwardly along the sloping cam surface 3Ic, thus lowering valve stem I9 and valve I8, so that the latter occupies its previously-described down position.

To the distal end of bellcrank arm 3Ia is pivotally connected a flipper member 34 having two lingers 34a and 39h located at either side of arm 31a and adapted to engage said arm at opposite edges, but spaced apart sufficiently so that the ipper member is capable of oscillating through -a small angle about its pivotal center. Said iiipper member also has an arm 34e to which is connected a biasing tension spring 35 which functions to bias bellcrank 3| in the counterclockwise direction. It will be apparent that the iiipper member 3d is a hinged extension of bellcrank arm 3Ia; and its function will presently be eX- plained.

When the timing mechanism is run downwhich is the normally inactive conditions-the lever 29 is postured as depicted in Fig. 2 wherein it will be seen that the finger 34a overlies they shoulder 29a formed on winding lever 2.9; and it will further be seen that by reason of the position of shoulder 29a the bellcrank 3i is so postured angularly as to release the valve stem I9, wherefore the valve I8 is down.

By rotating lever 29 counterclockwise from the posture in which it is shown in Fig. 2, to that in which it is shown in Fig. 1, the driving spring -of the timing mechanism is partially wound but capable of being wound still more by further rotation of lever 29, as will be evident from examination of Fig. 1, wherein it will be'seen thatslot 39 allows of considerable additional rotation of said lever in the counterclockwise direction.

Due to the fact that shoulder 29a isradial'to the center of lever 29 and the further fact that the complementary surface of nger 34a is'so directed that it lies parallel to shoulder 29a when the two are in vis-a-vis relation, the lever-29 would be latched by nger 34a against counterclockwise rotation from the posture depicted in Fig. 2 were tnot for the fact that lflipper member '34 is rotatable through a sufficient angle to-allow finger 34a to revolve about the pivotal center of the flipper to a degree which enables the shoulder 29a to escape. The need for the flipper member could lbe avoided were it not for the fact that it is desirable to lower valve i8 abruptly -at the termination of each cooking period. However, it is not at all indispensable to the successful operation of my invention that the cooking period be terminated abruptly; and consequently it is not essential, although desirable, to include the flipper member 34 in the timing mechanism.

Rotating the winding lever 23 counterclockwise from the posture in which it is shown in Fig. 2 winds the driving spring proportionately to the degree of angular movement of said lever;`

and the time required for lever 29 to return, under control of the escapement, to the posture lin which it is shown in Fig. 2 is proportionate to the. extent to which the lever is rotated counterclockwise from that posture. At the commencement `of each winding operation iiipper member 34 is forcibly Imoved out of its overlapping rela-- tion to -shoulder 29a into the vposture in which it is shown in Fig. 1, wherein it bears against the arcuate peripheral surface of the hub of the lever. This movement of the flipper member is accompanied by a resultant clockwise rotation of bellcrank` 3|, which causes the valve stem I9 and valve I8 to be lifted.

If, perchance. the water is not hot enough to be fully effective, it would not be permissible for the timing mechanism to start counting off time because if it did the valve I8 would be lowered to its down position before the eggs were fully poached. In fact, the valve might, in some instances, be lowered before the hot water actually started owing over the eggs. For that reason I have provided means in the form of a thermostatic element 36 which functions to prevent operation of the timing mechanism, after winding, until the hot water is actually ilowing through spout 23 and is up to the required temperature. Element 36 is a bi-metallic strip riveted at its lower end to spout 23, where it is contacted by hot water ilowing through the spout, and is so designed that, when cold,` its upper or free end 36a functions as a detent to engage a gear or other moving part of the timing mechanism and thus prevent time-counting operation of said mechanism. This does not interfere with the winding of the driving spring. As soon as water of the requisite temperature starts flowing through spout 23, it raises the temperature of bimetallic element 36 causing it to bend so that the detent 36a disengages the gear and allows the timing mechanism to start. At that point the timing commences and the lever 29 moves clockwise until it resumes the posture in which it is shown in Fig. 2, whereupon bellcrank 3l rotates counterclookwise under the impetus of spring 35 and thus causes valve I8 to be lowered, so that the hot water is thereafter diverted through port llb below spout 23 into the annular space 24.

The poaching time depends upon the angle through which lever 29 is rotated, and, of course, the timing can be varied accordingly. Where it may be desired to resort to different cooking periods as, for example, two, three or four minutes, calibration marks and timing indicia can be engraved or stamped on the housing 2l adjacent a suitable indicator on lever 29, such as one edge thereof; in which event the operator would move said lever when winding the spring, to register with the calibration corresponding to the Vdesired cooking period.

The whole sub-assembly carried by cover I3 is removable with the cover from receptacle l0, and it must be removed in order to load and unload the trays. The usual procedure is to detach trays 22 for loading and unloading. A suitable handle, not shown, should be provided for lifting the sub-assembly.

It will be apparent that the utensil illustrated and described can be modied in numerous respects without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention and, accordingly, I do not wish to be limited except as indicated by the terms of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a cooking utensil, of a` receptacle adapted to hold water, a tube within said receptacle and extending upwardly from a point below the water level therein to a point above the water level, means whereby heat applied to the bottom of the receptacle causes water to flow upwardly through said tube, means for supporting comestibles within said receptacle above the level of the water therein, a spout located near the top of said tube and operative to direct water emerging from the top of the tube downwardly onto the comestibles, a valve located at the top of said tube and operative in a first position to direct the water emerging from said tube into said spout and operative in a second position to direct the water away from said spout, a spring-driven timing mechanism operative upon being wound to move said valve to said first position and further operative upon being unwound to move said valve to said second position.

2. The combination in a cooking utensil, of a receptacle adapted to hold water, a tube within said receptacle and extending upwardly from a point below the water level therein to a point above the water level, means whereby heat applied to the bottom of the receptacle causes water to ow upwardly through said tube, means for supporting comestibles within said receptacle above the level of the water therein, a spout located near the top of said tube and operative to direct water emerging from the top of the tube downwardly onto the comestibles, a cap telescopically engaging the top portion of said tube and reciprocable vertically thereon, said cap having a lateral opening which registers with said spout when said cap is in its up position, said opening being below said spout when said cap is in its down position, spring-driven timing mechanism operative upon being wound to lift said cap to its up position and again operative upon becoming unwound to lower said cap to its down position.

3. The combination in a cooking utensil, of a receptacle adapted to hold water, a removable cover for said receptacle, a tubular member located co-axially with and depending from said cover into said receptacle, a plurality of trays detachably supported by said tubular member exteriorly thereof and located at different levels, said trays being spaced around said tubular member in consecutively overlapped relation and all located above the normal water level in the receptacle, a dome secured to the lower end of said tubular` member and dening with the bottom of the receptacle a substantially confined space, a vertical tubular conduit passing through the apex of said dome and upwardly through said tubular 

